At the heart of Ijebu Ode’s most vibrant festival, amid the thundering hooves and shimmering Aso Oke, photographer Adedotun Soyebi is not just capturing images; he is archiving history. From presidents to palace grounds, his lens tells the deeper story of Africa’s pride and heritage, one frame at a time.
On the bustling streets of Ijebu Ode, the hum of drums and the shimmer of colourful fabrics rise with the morning sun. Horses, their riders adorned in regal attire, trot proudly past throngs of celebrants. In the middle of this sensory feast stands photographer Adedotun Soyebi, camera in hand, eyes scanning every detail. For him, the Ojude Oba festival is more than a spectacle; it is a living story of heritage and legacy waiting to be immortalised.
“Whenever I have a personal project like this, I can’t sleep the night before,” he says. “I’m excited, imagining every shot, every story I’m about to tell.”
That restless curiosity has defined Soyebi’s journey. Long before he founded Adedotun Soyebi Productions (ASP), a media firm now renowned for high profile documentary work across Africa and beyond, he was simply a boy fascinated by an old Kodak camera handed down by his father. What began as a hobby, snapping flowers, passports and anything that intrigued him, matured into a pursuit of preservation: not just documenting moments but building archives of meaning.
Over the past decade, Soyebi has become one of Africa’s most compelling visual storytellers, known for his portraits and documentaries of influential figures, political leaders and cultural icons. His lens has followed the likes of former Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, the Olu of Warri, Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi Ndaitwah and even American rapper Swae Lee, whom he once captured dancing with children on the streets of Lagos.
Yet for Soyebi, it is never about fame or glamour. “I love documenting legacy,” he explains. “I see stories in people and cultures that nobody else sees. Whether it is a king, a governor, or an age old festival like Ojude Oba, I want to preserve what makes them matter.”
His latest work at Ojude Oba vividly demonstrates this ethos. From roadside scenes of women tying geles to aerial shots of the festival grounds beside the king’s palace, Soyebi’s photographs capture both the grandeur and the intimacy of the centuries old Yoruba celebration. The wide frames teem with colour and energy, but they also tell subtler stories, moments of pride, joy and continuity that echo through generations.
This ethnographic lens is what defines Soyebi’s artistry. At ASP, the company he leads, projects are rarely about surface beauty alone. With clients ranging from Dangote Group to Fidelity Bank and international bodies like AFREXIM Bank, Soyebi’s work often carries a deeper purpose: telling stories that shape perception and, at times, drive change. One memorable documentary followed how a $1 million water project transformed a rural community that had gone decades without clean water, an emotional narrative that later helped stakeholders secure further funding.
For Soyebi, photography is inseparable from purpose. “When God gives you a talent, it’s not just to create wealth,” he says quietly. “It’s to transfer knowledge and liberate people.”
That belief has taken him far beyond Nigeria’s borders, with projects in Russia, Dubai, China and across Africa. He is equally at home on the ground, mingling with locals during cultural festivals, and in the skies, flying drones to capture bird’s eye perspectives. “I like to see things from above,” he says, recalling one close call in Senegal when strong winds nearly claimed a drone over the pink waters of Lac Rose. “It was crazy, but worth it.”
Despite a career spanning high profile assignments and global travel, Soyebi’s vision remains rooted in Africa’s evolving story. He is drawn to figures reshaping the continent’s narrative, presidents, kings, innovators, and believes their journeys must be documented for history. “As long as I keep telling the stories of people rewriting Africa’s story, I’m doing what I’m meant to do,” he says.
Asked what lies ahead, Soyebi offers only a quiet smile. “I’m still shooting,” he says. “I’ve not even started anything. There’s so much more to build, so much more to tell.”
Wherever the next story emerges, on palace grounds, bustling streets or quiet rural communities, one thing is certain: Adedotun Soyebi’s lens will be there, capturing not just what is seen, but what will be remembered.
